1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pusher, a pusher unit, and a semiconductor test apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pusher unit that carries a semiconductor device under test to attach the semiconductor device under test to a test socket in a semiconductor test apparatus, a pusher that is attached to the pusher unit, and a semiconductor test apparatus provided with the pusher unit.
2. Related Art
A semiconductor test apparatus sequentially feeds semiconductor devices under test to a position above test sockets, pushes the semiconductor devices under test, performs testing for each of the semiconductor devices under test according to a prescribed test program provided to a test section, and sorts and carries the semiconductor devices under test according to the test results. In the series of operations performed by such a semiconductor test apparatus, the pusher unit carries the semiconductor devices under test and pushes the semiconductor devices under test onto the test sockets.
The pusher unit of the semiconductor test apparatus is provided with a holding section that holds one semiconductor device under test for each carrying process. The holding section is connected to a decompression source and holds the semiconductor device under test through suction. Furthermore, the pusher unit is provided with a pusher that pushes the semiconductor device under test held by the holding section onto the test socket. The pusher includes a pushing section that directly contacts the semiconductor device under test or a substrate thereof to push the semiconductor device under test or the substrate thereof and a main body section that supports the pressing section and transfers the pushing force applied by the pushing section.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. hei09-175647, a semiconductor test apparatus is proposed that can perform a continuous process by cooling the semiconductor device under test during carriage by disposing a plurality of carrying sections that receive and pass the semiconductor device under test. Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. hei10-058367, an IC feeding apparatus is disclosed that is configured to correspond to a slant of the semiconductor device under test caused by deformation of a tray that houses the semiconductor device under test.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-171521 providing an apparatus that carries the semiconductor device under test by using a negative pressure to hold the semiconductor device under test with a function that cools the semiconductor device under test by blowing air thereon is proposed. In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-174658, enhancing efficiency of the test process by loading and unloading the semiconductor device under test with an independent carrying apparatus is proposed